At Home with NW Kid Chaser

No sew - Easy magic...

4/11/2015

    I do not like to camp, but one of my all time favorite purchases is in the camping aisle. "Tent ties" are an active boy's dream! We use these little gems in two ways at our house. 1) Pants keeper-uppers. 2) Shoelace tight and fast-ers.

    For pants, just thread the toggles on to the pant drawstrings. No drawstrings? Cut a whole in the waist and thread through a thick shoelace to do the same job. Elastic waists never seemed to fit my skinny boys when they were young - so this did the trick.

    For shoes, use the toggles for a quick way to tighten running shoes. Ready - set - go!

Stocking Stuffer Stuff: Take 2...

12/1/2014

Traveling last Christmas, I was on the prowl for fun stocking stuffers that would keep little-fingers busy on the plane.
Flexipuzzle hit the jackpot.

The challenges range from 'Beginner' to 'Expert'- thus making the toy a good fit for the whole traveling crew.

Happy Halloween...

10/29/2014

It's that time again and this year my boys, once again,
chose two great costume ideas...

William Clark

This boy loves his history lessons at school. The stories of William & Clark match the outdoorsy adventures of his dreams. As chief map-maker, he has his journal ready to record the magical discoveries of the Pacific Northwest. He's always on the lookout for fun.

Tourist

This loves to travel and has chosen this holiday to embody everything that makes his mother cringe. Socks with sandals - check. Clashing prints, colors, and styles - check. You can't see it here - but the swipe of white sunscreen across his nose makes the whole outfit. It really does.

Calling all Math Facts...

9/9/2014

Have a child that needs to practice their math facts?
Forget the flash cards... try the FACT BALL app
that brings math and pinball to their fingertips.

One Tile - Two Games...

7/20/2014

Most folks
recognize
this game...

But ,
maybe not
this one.

However, both games use simple letter tiles to mix and spell words of every size. Of the two, Bananagrams is best for mixed age groups. The traditional rules of the game requires players to use their tiles to create any combination of words, as long as the words are linked. At our house we have altered the rules to say that player under ten - need not connect all their words. This seems to level the playing field and keeps the fast action game - fun for everyone in the family.

Perfect Playdough...

7/14/2014

It's been quite awhile since I've made playdough, but this Spring we had wee visitors at our house... so, I dug deep in the recipe box to find an oldie, but a goodie.

Mix together in saucepan:
      3 c. Flour
      .5 c. Salt
      1 TBsp Cream of Tartar

Stir in:
    1 TBsp Vegetable Oil
     2.75 c. Water

Cook over medium heat (stirring constantly) until it thickens.
Remove from heat (and divide into parts if you want more than one color). Work in food coloring. Store in air-tight container.

Star Gazing 2014...

7/7/2014

The Oregon heat is here!

When the temperature hits 90'+, you'll find my boys and I spending the late afternoon down in our 'cool' basement. It's a private retreat (filled with Legos and books), where we can hide until the day's heat passes.

When evening comes, we venture out again. And... sometimes after dark, we move to the backyard deck to soak up just a bit more of cooler air.

When that does happen - I bring my phone. Not to call, text, or chat... but to help us identify all the stars, constellations, and planets above us. It's the Google Sky Map App and it brings the summer fun of star gazing into the digital age. Hooray!

Yummy potluck treat...

7/2/2014

Tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, and a bit of balsamic vinegar!

Here's one of my favorite snacks to bring to a summer potlucks.

The best part: little hands can help
with the quick and easy assembly.

Drizzle the vinegar over these gems right before serving.

Election time...

5/13/2014

We keep a pretty close eye on the election races each year and politics are a frequent discussion topic at our dinner table. So, perhaps it's not too much of a stretch that my youngest son loves this old board game:

I say 'old' because it was published in 1971 and now can only be purchased through eBay (or received as a gift from dear family friends who are cleaning out their basement). This game combines map skills, mathematics, social studies, and even the dark side of politics (one brother is continually bribing the other brother for better cards). In the end, you tally your electoral votes and hope that the best man (or woman) wins!

Applesauce addiction...

4/27/2014

We have officially
become addicted to our
homemade applesauce.

Yes, it's a good mid-day snack, but it is also amazing with potato pancakes or over blintzes.
And..... after upgrading to a larger crockpot and purchasing a brand new apple corer/peeler on Craigslist (for the low price of $10), this recipe is even easier.

Next = pear sauce.